One of the byproducts of electrical device operation is heat. Heat can be a concern in an electrical device because electrical devices and their circuitry generally work better at lower or ambient temperatures. Higher operating temperatures can have many negative effects including decreasing the life of the electrical device. In addition, the higher temperatures can also reduce the performance of the device for various reasons including electrical resistance can increase resulting in slowing of signal speed.
There are many methods for removing heat from electrical devices including heat sinks and fans/blowers. Heat sinks are generally a metal structure with a surface to contact the electronic device and an array of fins or protrusions to create a large surface area to dissipate heat through conduction and convection. In addition, the heat sink increases the thermal mass of the electronic device to stabilize the increase of the temperature when the system is in use.
The heat sink can be used in conjunction with a fan or blower. The fan or blower is designed to push or pull air across the electronic device. The air absorbs heat through convection and removes it from the electronic device. The fan or blower takes the heat area away from the area near the electronic device and replaces it with cooler air allowing for a larger temperature gradient.